Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe on Monday welcomed a new multi-million livestock initiative targeting young people in the county and other arid and semi-arid regions across Kenya.
Dr. Malombe met with officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), led by Michael Ngutu, during a courtesy call to discuss the rollout of the programme, Creating Shared Value with Young People in the Livestock Sector in Kenya’s ASALs (CASHA).
The five-year programme, funded by the Mastercard Foundation at a cost of USD 39.8 million, will benefit 300,000 young people across 15 counties, including Kitui. It seeks to boost youth employment and enhance resilience in the livestock sector.
The project will be rolled out in four key clusters — Northrift, Lower Eastern, Upper Eastern, and North Eastern — with Kitui falling under the Lower Eastern cluster.
CASHA will focus on five key pathways: building the technical and entrepreneurial capacity of youth, enhancing market linkages, promoting financial access, strengthening the leadership and agency of young women, and driving adaptation to climate-smart innovations.
In line with its inclusivity agenda, the programme aims to engage 80% young women, 5% persons with disabilities (PWDs), and 5% internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees as beneficiaries.
Governor Malombe lauded the programme, noting that it would not only create job opportunities but also revitalize the county’s livestock sector by improving disease control, promoting climate-smart practices, and providing veterinary and market support for sustainable livelihoods.
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